Feeling less than confident about your appearance is a common issue for most people at some stage in their life. Physical changes such as weight gain or loss, changes in your hair, or recovery from an illness can often leave people feeling in some doubt about their looks, and over time, this can have a negative impact on your sense of self-esteem and confidence. If it is not resolved, it can even have more serious impacts, affecting your ability to socialize, interact with others, work, and much more. If you’re finding that your self-confidence has taken a dip lately, read on for some simple ways to give yourself a much-needed boost.

Encourage self-kindness

We are often our own worst critics, and our internal dialog can sometimes be a cruel and nasty voice. If you are finding that you are quite negative to yourself about your appearance, it might be worth first to take a step back and think about what you have been saying to yourself. You may want to ask yourself if you would make the same kind of comments to a friend, and if not, it could be time to practice being a little kinder to yourself.

This might be simple, private activities, such as complimenting yourself when you look in the mirror, or rewarding and positive activities that are not associated with your physical looks.

Consider specialist help if you need it

While cosmetic procedures were often looked down upon as being the sign of a narcissistic and vain person, overly consumed with their looks, it is now understood as a potential form of self-care. Suppose there is a part of your body that you are seriously unhappy with. In that case, it may be worthwhile having some expert advice and considering a little extra help, such as getting support from a hair clinic if you have been experiencing thinning hair. 

If you are considering serious surgical procedures, this is not a decision to be taken lightly, and you should have expert advice first.

Take better care of yourself

If a surgical non-surgical intervention seems like a little bit too much, you may simply need to review and refresh your grooming routine. It can be common to fall into a slump, especially when you are feeling less confident in yourself, but this can soon become a vicious circle. The more you neglect your appearance, the worse you will often feel and look, making things even worse in the process.

There are plenty of ways to improve your personal grooming routine, at home, and for work. You may want to invest in some appealing skincare products to reduce skin issues such as acne or discoloration, indulge in some favorite beauty products, or enjoy a specialist treatment such as a facial or face mask on a regular basis. Over time, these small steps can soon help you look and feel much better and make a significant improvement to your confidence levels.

Finally, practice self-expression as a form of self-care. Choosing to showcase the real YOU means you are taking control of your own narrative. Your ideas—how you dress and speak—will take precedence over what other people might have to say.
The wonderful thing about self-expression is there are several ways to go about it. You can do it through writing, speech, art, or fashion. And, of course, you can achieve it by approaching life as authentically as possible.
You can become a spoken word artist. Or a drag queen with big bouncy hair and an even bigger personality. At the end of the day, what matters is you do it on your own terms.